Steam-shovel



J. FLETCHER.

STEAM SHOVEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4', 1920.

1,380,05 1 Patented May 31, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A in

J. FLETCHER.

STEAM SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1920.

Patented May 31, 1921.

3 SHEE'lS-SHEET 2.

' way ss J. FLETCHER.

STEAM SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1920.

Patented May 31, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lll'lli' M61656 flm WM.

drum, whereby sai 1 device with the throttle lever; and

'A OFFICE,

JOSEPH FLETCHER, OF BELLWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES A. S'ACKLEY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

STEAM-SHOVEL.

This invention.relates to steam shovelsand relates particularly to the hoisting drum operating mechanism and the levers for controlling the same. 1

The object of the invention is to provide power actuated means for securing the hoisting drum of a steam shovel to the gear which drives said drum, to replace the hand operated means in general use at the present time, and to comb ne the lever which controls the means for securing said drum to said driving gear with the throttle lever for controlling the engine which operates] said simultaneously by one hand and without appreciable effort on the part of the operator.

To effect the objects of the invention, my

improved device for securing the drum to its driving shaft and the manner of combining the control lever therefor with the throttle lever, comprise the various features, combinations of features and'details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanyin drawings, in which my invention is ful y i lustrated, Figure 1 is aside view of that portion of a steam shovel to which my invention relates.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view thereof. Figs. 3 to 8, inclusive, are enlarged detail views illustrating preferable steam conneotions for sup lying steam to the device for securing the fioisting drum to its operating gear. Fig. 9 is' a view from the left side of Fig. 1, showing the manner of combin ng the lever for operating thedrum securing Fig. 10 is a fra entarydetail view on v the line-10-10 of ig. 9.

In practice, I have worked out my invention in connection with and have actu ally applied the same for use on a steam shovel generally well known to the trade as the Thew shovel, and, for purposes of concrete and definite illustration, I have, m the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 4, 1920. Serial No. 386,542;

levers may be operated I I detail.

Patented May 31, 1921.

accompanying drawings, shown my inventlon and improvements as applied in use thereto.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates the engine for operating the. hoist,

drum of the shovel, 2 the throttle lever for controlling the admission of steam to said engine, said lever being operatively connected'to thevalve gear of the engine by sultable connections, not shown, 3 the hoist 6.5 drum supporting frame, 4 the hoist drum shaft, 5 the hoist drum loose on said shaft,

and. 6 the gear for driving said hoist drum.

said gear being secured to the shaft 4 and being-driven byn'neans of a pinion 7 on the. crank shaftof the engine. The. hoist drum 5 is adapted to be secured to the hoist drum shaft 4 b means of a friction clutch consisting o a brake band 8 adjusted to the face of a pulley 9 formed on said hoist drum, one end of said brake band being an- 'chored to a pin or stud secured in the gear 6 and the opposite end of which is secured to the crank pin of a crank shaft 10 rotatably mounted in .a suitable bearing formed in said gear 6, to which rotation is adapted to be imparted to apply and release said friction clutch in manner presently described. All of the foregoing parts are old and well known and as regards their usual fea-- tures and excepting as hereinafter particularly described, may be of any desired or approved construction and can be readily supplied by persons familiar with the art and particularly with said Thew shovel, and they need not, therefore, be described in- In accordance with my invention, the brake band 8 is'adapted to be applied to secure'the hoist drum 5 to the gear 6 by means of what, for purposes of convenient reference, may be desi ated as a steam ram, indicated as a who e by' the reference numeral 11, said ram comprising a cylinder 12 secured. to the gear 6, fitted to which is a piston'13 which is connected to a crank. arm 14'on theouter end of, the crank shaft 10 by'a connecting rod 15.

The inclosed end of the cylinder 12 is connected with a source of steam supply, as shown the steam chest of the engine, and the admission of steam to the ram cylinder and its discharge therefrom is adapted to be controlled by a suitable valve comprising a casing 16, rotatably mounted in which is a i plate 17 provided with steam admission and exhaust ports.

As shown, the pipe connections to the valve casing 16 comprise a supply pipe 18, a steam admission pipe 19 leading to the ram cylinder, and an exhaust pipe 20.

Formed in the plate 17 is an admission port 21 which extends entirely through said plate and which is adapted to be brought into register with the steam admission pipe 19 by rotation of said plate 17, thereby permitting steam to pass from the interior of the casin 16 to the ram cylinder.

Said p ate 17 is also provided with an exhaust port 22 consisting of a groove or channel formed in the side of said plate which contacts with the wall of the casing 16 into which the steam admission and exhaust pipes 19 and 20 are connected, the relation being such that the ends of said channel or groove will connect the steam admission pipe 19 with the exhaust pipe 20 when said plate is turned into proper position, thereby permitting the exhaust of steam from the ram cylinder.

To permit rotation of the hoist drum shaft 4 without damage to the piping connections between the valve casing 16 and the ram cylinder 12, the pipe 19 is connected into an axial hole or opening 23 formed in the hoist drum shaft 4, by means of a swivel connection. As shown, said connection comprises a flanged nipple 24 threaded into the end of the axial hole or opening 23 in the hoist drum shaft, the flanged end of which is confined in the bore 25 of a stufling box 26 and the body portion of which extends through a hole or opening formed in the end of said stufling box. Likewise confined in the bore of said stufiing box 26 is a second flanged nipple 27 the flanged end of which rests in contact with the flanged end of the nipple 24 and the body portion of which extends into a bore formed endwise through a packing gland 28 into which the end of the admission pipe 19 is directly connected.

Leakage of steam through said connection is prevented by means of packing 29 in the bore 25 of the stuffing box 26, which is adapted to be compressed to a desired extent by means of the packing gland 28, in a usual manner.

The axial hole 23 in the hoist drum shaft is connected with the cylinder 12 of the steam ram by means of a pipe 30 secured in a lateral hole 31 in the hoist drum shaft so as to communicate with the axial hole 23 therein.

' Rotation is adapted to be imparted to the valve plate 17 to admit steam to and exhaust steam from the ram cylinder in the following manner z-Pivoted upon the lever supporting rod 32 is a lever 33 the lower end of which is connected by a rod 34 with Leeopsr 41 formed in'a block 42 on the throttle lever 2. Said slide is adapted to be raised and lowered b means of a lever '43 pivoted to the upper en of the throttle lever 2, one arm of which is connected to said slide 40 by a connecting rod 44.

With the described construction, it is obvious that raising and lowering the slide 40 will impart pivotal movementto the lever 33 in opposite directions and will also operate to turn the valve plate 17 axially. The extreme positions of the lever 33 are defined by contact of the lug 39 with opposite ends of the slot 38 in said lever 33, the relation being such that when said lever is at one limit of its pivotal movement, the steam .admission port 21 in the valve plate 17 will be in register with the steam admission pipe 19 and when at the opposite limit of its movement, the exhaust port 22 will connect the steam admission pipe 19 with the exhaust pipe 20. As shown, the relation is such that pivotal movement of the lever 43 to depress or lower the slide 40 will turn the valve plate 17 to bring the steam admission port 21 in register with the steam pipe 19, and pivotal movement of said lever in the opposite directionthat is. in a direction to raise the slide 40- will impart movement to the valve plate 17 to bring the exhaust port 22 into communication with the steam pipe 19 and the exhaust pipe 20.

As shown, the lever 43 comprises an arm 45 which extends substantially at right angles to the arm thereof to which the connecting rod 44 is attached, the relation being such that pivotal movement of said lever 43 to admit steam to the ram cylinder 12 will bring the hand grip of the lever arm 45 into such close proximity to the hand grip of the throttle lever 2,-that the hand grips of both of said levers may be conveniently grasped and said levers operated with one hand. Preferably, also, said lever. 43 comprises an arm 46 which extends substantially in line with the arm thereof to which the connecting'rod 44 is attached, and which affords convenient means for turning said lever 43 into position to exhaust steam from the ram cylinder.

The crank shaft 10 is adapted to be turned to release the clutch which connects the hoist drumto its operating gear by means of a spring 47 applied to an arm 48 which extends laterally from the crank arm 14, to

whlch the connecting rod of the ramisattached.

The slot 38 in the lever 33 is preferably concentric with the rod 37 'to which the throttle lever 2 is pivoted when said slot is in its central or neutral position, corremission port 21 and the exhaust port 22. It is found that, with this relation, when said lever is turned into either of its extreme positions, the variation of said slot from being concentric with the lever. supporting rod 37 will be so slightthat pivotal'movement of the throttle lever 2 will impart no appreciable pivotal movement'to the lever 33 or to the valve plate 17 and thus will not affect the valve openings of the ports 21 and 22. g a

I claim-,:- 1. In a steam shovel, the combination of a hoist drum, a steam engine, a throttle lever therefor, gearing connecting said engine and drum, comprising a gear which normally is rotatable relatively to said hoist drum, a clutch for connecting said hoist drum and gear, and means for operating said clutch, said clutch operating means comprising a steam: ram mounted on one of said parts, steam connections thereto comprising a valve for controlling the admission of steam to said ram and its exhaust therefrom, and means for operating said valve comprising a lever pivoted upon the throttle lever of the engine having an arm which will be in such close proximity to the hand grip of said throttle lever whenin position corresponding to position of said valve to admit steam to the clutch operating ram that both said throttle lever and said valve operating lever maybe grasped and operated with one hand, substantially as described.

2. In a steam shovel, the combination of a hoist drum, a steam engine, a throttle lever therefor, gearing connecting said engine and drum, comprising a gear which normally is rotatable relatively to said hoist drum, a clutch for connecting said hoist drum and gear, and means for operating said clutch, said clutch operating means comprising a steam ram mounted on one of said parts, steam connections thereto com-' prising a valve for controllin the admission of steam to said' ram an its exhaust therefrom, and means for operating said valve comprising a pivoted lever, an arm of which extends into close proximity to the throttle lever of the engine and is provided 60' with a slot, a slide mounted on said throttle lever, a projection ,on said slide which en ages the slot in said second lever, a third fiver pivoted to said throttle valve and a rod which connects said lever with said slide, said third lever having an arm which will be in such close proximity tothe hand grip of said throttle lever when in position corresponding to position of said valve to admit steam to the clutch operating ram that both said throttle lever and said valve operating lever may be grasped and oper- "ated with one hand, substantially as desponding to closed position of both the ad-, A

scribed.

3. In a steam shovel, the combination of a hoist drum,a steam engine, a throttle lever therefor, gearing connecting said engine and drum, comprising a gear which normally is rotatable relatively to said hoist drum, a

clutch for connecting said hoist drum and gear, and means for operating said clutch, said clutch operating means comprising a steam ram mounted on one of said parts, steam connections thereto comprising a valve for controlling the admission of steam to said ram and its exhaust therefrom, and

means for operating said valve comprising a pivoted lever an arm of which extends into close proximity to the throttle lever of the engine and is provided with a slot which is substantially concentric with the pivotal axis of said throttle lever in all operative positions thereof, a slide mounted on said throttle lever, ajprojection on said slide which engages the slot insaid second lever, a third lever pivoted to said throttle lever, and a rod which connects said'lever with said slide, said third lever having an arm which will be in such close proximity to the sition corresponding to position ofsaid valve to admit steam to theclutch operating ram that both said throttle lever and said valve operating lever may. be grasped and hand grip of said throttle lever when in pooperated with one hand, substantially as described;

. 4. In a steam shovel, the combination of a, hoist drum, a steam engine, a throttle lever therefor, gearing connecting said'engine and drum,- comprising a gear which normally is rotatable relatively to said hoist drum, a clutch for connecting saidhoist drum and gear, and means for operating said clutch, said clutch operating means comprising a steam rain mounted on oneof said parts,

steam connections thereto comprising a valve for controlling the admission of steam to said ram and its exhaust therefrom, and means for operating said valve comprising a lever. pivoted adjacent to the pivot of the throttle lever, said lever comprising an arm which extends into close proximity to the throttle lever of the engine and is provided with a slot which extends transversely of said throttle lever, a slide mounted on, said throttle lever, a projection on said slide which engages-the slot in said second lever, a third lever'pivoted. to said throttle lever, and a 'rod which connects said lever with said slide, said third ieverhaving an arm which will be in such close proximity to the hand grip of said throttle lever when in p01 sition corresponding to position of said valve to admit steam to the clutch operating ram that both said throttle lever and clutch for connecting said hoist drum and gear, and means for operating said clutch, said clutch operating means comprising a steam ram mounted on one of said parts, steam connections thereto comprising a valve for controlling the admission of steam to said ram and its exhaust therefrom, and means for operating said valve comprising a lever pivoted adjacent to the pivot of the throttle lever, said lever comprising an arm which extends into close proximity to the reasons i throttle lever of the' engine and is provided With a slot which extends transversely of said throttle lever and is substantially concentric with the pivotal axis of said throttle lever in all operative positions thereof, a slide mounted on said throttle lever, a projection on said slide which engages the slot in said second lever, a third lever pivoted to said throttle lever, and a rod which connects said lever with said slide, said third lever having an arm which will be in such close proximity to the hand grip of said throttle lever when in position corresponding to position of said valve to admit steam to the clutch operating ram that both said throttle lever and said valve operating lever may be grasped and operated with one hand, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 affix my signature this 22nd day of May, 1920.

' JOSEPH FLETCHER. 

